The rumor mill is hot right now with Brandon Aiyuk trade speculation, and it seems as if the Pittsburgh Steelers are his most likely landing spot. Even Mike Tomlin got in on the fun during an interview with Randy Baumann on the DVE Morning Show.
When asked about any “early morning phone calls” related to potential trade speculation, Tomlin said it was “a little early on the west side right now.”
Tomlin was on the show at around 8:30, which would make it around 5:30 Pacific time. With the Aiyuk negotiations dragging on over the last few days, it’s no surprise that Kyle Shanahan and John Lynch might be getting what little sleep they can.
During his press conference Wednesday morning, Tomlin was also asked if he’s actively looking to add to that wide receiver depth chart.
“You know, I’ll let you guys speculate on that,” Tomlin said while somewhat grinning.
Obviously, acquiring Aiyuk would be a huge boon for the Steelers offense, giving them another No. 1 receiver next to George Pickens. The two of them would form one of the best receiver pairings in the league and instantly elevate Pittsburgh’s receiving corps, which had been its biggest weakness on the roster up to this point.
With the New England Patriots dropping out of the race for Aiyuk right now, it seems as if it’s between the Cleveland Browns and Steelers if Aiyuk is gonna get traded. He could always stay with the 49ers on a long-term contract, but it seems as if that ship might be quickly sailing away. Of course, other teams could still get involved, but with the Steelers currently being a “preferred destination” for Aiyuk, things could get done as soon as today on a trade sending Aiyuk to the Steelers.
The fact that Tomlin so much as hinted at the possibility and acknowledged it even in a cheeky way makes it seem like an increasingly likely possibility that Aiyuk could be a Steeler. Aiyuk would instantly elevate Pittsburgh’s offense and make them a threat in the AFC and a threat to win the AFC North. After making the playoffs last season with an unsteady quarterback situation, the Steelers upgraded with the acquisitions of Russell Wilson and Justin Fields and added Patrick Queen on defense.
Aiyuk would be the icing on the cake for a roster overhaul in Pittsburgh, and it would immediately go down as one of the biggest trades in team history. Pittsburgh’s offense has been a weakness over the past few seasons, but with Aiyuk in the fold and Arthur Smith as their offensive coordinator featuring a strong run game, the unit could emerge as one of the better groups in football, which would certainly be a welcome change if the Steelers can pull off the trade.
